Rabbi Moshe Shapiro, 78, a prominent figure in the ultra-Orthodox community in Jerusalem was indicted Wednesday for solicitation to commit aggravated assault against a 71-year-old woman suspected by one of his disciples of being involved in Christian missionary work, as well as pedophilia.
The indictment, filed with the Jerusalem District Court, alleged that Shapiro's disciple sought his advice after he suspected that his children had fallen prey to a pedophile ring operating in the Nachlaot neighborhood in Jerusalem.
The father suspected that the woman was part of the criminal operation, and that she allowed pedophiles to use her home basement for their crimes and helped to cover up the ring's existence.
According to the indictment, the father also voiced concerns that the woman was teaching the children the principles of Christianity.
The prosecution quotes Shapiro as allegedly advising his disciple "to take a firm hand when dealing with this woman. You have to go into her home and destroy it. You have to beat her to the point of hospitalization. I, for one, would not care if there's no one left to hospitalize."
According to the indictment, the man -- acting on the rabbi's orders -- conspired with several other men to harm the woman. In late February, the man, accompanied by three others, arrived at the woman's home armed with iron crowbars, gloves and zip ties. They tricked her into opening the door and then, according to the indictment, two of them bound and gagged her, while two others searched her home for evidence of the alleged pedophile ring.
According to the indictment, the woman was assaulted for nearly two hours. The four eventually left her on the floor of her home, still bound to a chair, and bleeding heavily.
The investigation against the four men is ongoing.
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